Mark My Words Blog
Welcome to ‘Mark My Words,’ the digital sanctuary where insight meets intrigue, and commentary sparks contemplation.
Delve into the dynamic world of PR maverick Mark Borkowski as he unravels the threads of media, culture, and communication. Mark’s blog is a treasure trove of industry wisdom, offering a backstage pass to the inner workings of publicity and the ever-evolving landscape of modern media.
Twin Towers Shock
I’m always on the look out for potential PR disasters. The Manhattan Coffee Company might be heading for a fall: I saw the above at the outlet next to the ITN building, and I couldn’t help thinking that a couple of things were wrong with the logo.
Tamworth Two the real deal
The cover feature of the Media Guardian yesterday was about the Tamworth Two. Remember the tale of the two little pigs that escaped from an abattoir in Malmesbury? The story is to be turned into a comedy film. I am utterly outraged that my central role in the drama will merit no attention whatsoever. The Daily Mail hired me to help when it became clear that the pigs that they had bought up were in the hands of two animal fanatics. I would have thought that the producers would have been anxious to focus on my awe-inspiring performance as the…
THE PASSION
A great couple of weeks on the brands-discover-how-to-get-media-by-setting-up-a-stunt front. First there was the big Barbie/Ken Valentine’s Day break-up. I’d seen it coming: she’d been playing around with girls all over the place for years, and she’s got quite a history of making an exhibition of herself. Then there was Ultimo’s masterstroke of dumping Rod’s current leggy blonde in favour of his ex leggy blonde in the year’s biggest split-crotch brassiere modelling contract shock horror debacle. This generated front page headlines incorporating the product name (Rod’s ex delivers ULTIMO insult) and an important opportunity for some sober investigative journalism. So which…
The Passion and the PR
It’s been a great couple of weeks for brands discovering how to get media coverage by setting up a stunt. First there was the big Barbie/Ken Valentine’s Day split. I’d seen it coming; she’d been playing around with girls all over the place for years, and has quite a history of making an exhibition of herself.
Their dark materials
I love watching the counter spin being created around the popular image of John Kerry in his attempts to win the democrat ticket. The PR giants on huge retainer to muddy the waters are using all the dark powers in their armoury to tackle Kerry’s popularity. If its not thrusting into the limelight via Drudge rumours of Kerry’s elicits love life the spin cycle turns to attempt to undermine his post Vietnam conduct . Evidence of this has been planted by circulating a photograph which shows Senator John Kerry and Jane Fonda sharing a speaker’s platform at an anti-war rally….
Nipple gate
There seems no point to rush to judgement and speculate on how long the media and marketing community are going to focus on the I am A Celebrity Crowd. Perhaps I will revisit all my rash predictions in a month or so to see if their true potential has been capalized upon. Watch as their so called tabloid mates feast on any failings when the stopwatch of opportunity passes the allotted 15minutes. Its smash and grab time for all their agents and listen very carefully as the whine of their re- discovered zeal drowns all objections on the road to…
Hey man, like this is so cool
I hear on the grapevine that a company is going round the block claiming it’s blowing orthodox PR apart with a whole new publicity concept it has invented called “Buzz”. I might be inclined to say yo, ma man! this is so cool cos it’s like the word on the street, get what I’m saying, this is reeeeel, we ain’t talking column inches. We don’t get you nothing so square as coverage! That’s for nerds. I don’t doubt this company’s sincerity in claiming it’s discovered and invented the “buzz” concept. If they’re having difficulty fully defining it, I’d direct them…
My Greatest Mistake
My company has always been known for maverick, edgy promotions, and campaigns that have been banned. We represented the Malcolm McLarens of this world and were known for being very rock’n’roll. So, when Carlsberg-Tetley approached us about eight years ago, at the beginning of the alcopop boom, they wanted a wild, rock’n’roll campaign for their new alcopop – Thickhead. Read the full article at Independent.co.uk
I'm a PR – get me away from these jokers
View image Daily Telegraph, 10th February 2004
Trouble in Stoke On Trent
Watching Peter Hain on Question Time last night wriggling and spinning around the semantics of the debate on WMD conjured in my mind a mental picture of King Canute trying to hold the sea back. The fundamentals of PR centre on trust and belief in the virtue of a product. The painfully loyal Tony Toady shook his head and stabbed remarks at fellow panellists like an aged punch drunk boxer. He quoted the findings of Hutton and attempted to shift blame on the BBC. Stoke was not fooled and he could not find a single thread of support. .Hein clearly…
RADIO HOST AXED FOR CRITICIZING BUSH ON IRAQ
This is scary and post Hutton should remind us all to be vigelent Leftists aren’t the only dissenters from the war in Iraq to feel the consequences of the Clear Channel’s pro-war tilt. Radio talk show host Charles Goyette, a Goldwater Reaganite, has been bumped from his slot and expects to lose his job because he criticized the Bush administration’s shape-shifting case for war. “Management didn’t like my being out of step with the president’s parade of national hysteria, and the war-fevered spectators didn’t care to be told they were suffering illusions,” he writes. “So after three years, I was…
Ahead of the Pack
The current issue of PR Week has a front page story that reveals the multi millionaire Irish racehorse owner John Mangier has employed Brian Maclaurin, to spin for him in his battle against Alex Ferguson. I would like to point out that our fantasy PR league, PRSM, found on this site, broke this news week ago. Come on boys catch up.
SAVE ME FROM LEAFLET MOOKS
Walking to work this morning I was accosted by a small skinny man dressed as a boxer complete with a head guard. He thrust a flyer for a new fitness centre called Gym Box into my empty hand . The bright leaflet was a manifesto declaring the virtues of this happening jointI I put in the bin, well wouldn�t you. Bloody hell what a complete waste of money. I can only guess a clever sales promotion company had persuaded the club owners to spend a fortune on handing out expensive flyers by out of work actors with the charima and…
STUNNING TWATS AND MIGHTY MIDGETS
I hear that ever so pass� sales guerrilla marketing company Cunning Stunts have changed their name and are moving to New York. Suspect that might mean they have employed a geezer with a pony tail to man a phone. I might be wrong! The trouble with those that peddle guerrilla marketing is that its all been done before by the legends like Jim Moran. It was Moran who sat on an ostrich egg for 19 days, four hours and 32 minutes before hatching it to publicise the novel The Egg and I. He searched for a needle in a haystack…
Time for a return of new, improved, souped up Campbell's skills?
So triumphant Tone is on a roll. It looks as if Hutton has given him a frightening faith in the mighty power of the God of Independent Enquiry. But be warned: perhaps this false idol will be a propaganda twist too far. The pre-emptive groundwork is underway, with the “we needed to get rid of him anyway” defence featuring with increasing regularity on the government communications agenda. And of course, there is the chance that Alistair Campbell will discover a pressing need to spend less time with his family, and we will see the faithful Rottweiler return to the side…
Davies and Dyke have done it
Fox News called last night, wanting an opinion on the collapse of the BBC. I told them no collapse had happened, so they terminated the interview, thanked me for my time and rang off. Clearly it didn’t suit their agenda, which was to gloat over the supposed decline of a once-great news-gathering institution.